The worn-out syndrome: Uncertainties in late working life triggering retirement decisions.

ABSTRACT: In recent decades, the extension of individuals' working life has been construed as an important policy issue in Western Europe. Here, retirement causes have been thoroughly researched in a quantitative way, but there is a dearth of qualitative studies on the subject. Through ethnographic fieldwork, we study the complex pathways that lead to the retirement of senior employees in the finance and production industries in Denmark. In particular in the finance industry, we find an insidious uncertainty haunting senior employees regarding their capacity and reputation. We term this uncertainty worn-out syndrome, demonstrating how many interlocutors fear that they are beginning to be seen as worn out, for example, less productive, less motivated, and too old to work. To some extent, this syndrom

SUBMITTER: Aabo MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10057830 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature